Part 21 (1/2)

”They think ant to chuck 'em overboard, Mr Vandean, sir I don't knohat to say to 'e they're free”

”Let's go and breathe for a fewas if he were half-stifled

”I'd rather do that, sir, than have the best glass o' grog ever mixed,”

said the man

”Now below there!” ca on?”

Mark answered the question by stu up the ladder till he could put his face over the co over the vessel, To suit

”You look white as ashes, Vandean,” said the lieutenant ”I had no business to let you go down But the erous?”

”Like so et one to coo myself”

”No,” said Mark, stoutly ”I have only half done , Tom Fillot”

Before he could be stayed, he stepped down oncenow an toeyes--all apparently staring fiercely, and in a threatening way

The whole scene was horrible, every surrounding was sickening The poor creatures had been herded together down in the foul place, with less care for their health than if they had been cattle, while in the eency of the slave captain's escape, they had been left to die

But, horrible as the place was, Mark made a brave effort toattack froht very well have been infuriated by his wrongs, the young midshi+pet hi his opportunity, he stepped boldly forward to where the crowd had shrunk back together, and again caught a man by the arm

”Now, Tom Fillot,” he cried, ”help me”

The sailor seconded hiony of fear, ain; and at thatofficer's safety, Mr Russell sternly ordered hi of satisfaction and disinclination that the lad obeyed; and as they stood about the open hatch, Mr Russell said,--”We ive them time to find out that we are friends This is , Vandean, and it is worse than I could have believed”

”Signal frohtylass_, sir,” said To anxious Here, Vandean, go back in the boat, and tell them the state of affairs”

”And leave you alone with these people? There must be fifty or a hundred down below”

”I shall have four defenders with me,” said the lieutenant, quietly, ”and you will be back soon with a reinforceet the poor wretches on deck, out of that loathsome den, or they will half of them be dead of fever in four and twenty hours”

”You wish o,sternly, but with a friendly light in his eye ”There, off at once”

Mark passed over the side with half the boat's crew, and, feeling extremely uneasy about his officer's fate, had himself rowed back, and stated the case to the captain

”Horrible!” he said ”Well, the ht on board if the schooner is a fixture Take back ten et out an anchor and see if he cannot haul off the vessel If he cannot, the slaves ht on board, and the schooner burned”